Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Kuhlman, John M.

Publications and source records attributed to Kuhlman, John M..

13 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Investigation of Point Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) for Transition Detection in Boundary Layers

A two component Point Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) system has been developed and tested. Improvements were made to an earlier PDV system, in terms of experimental techniques, as well as the data acquisition and reduction software. Measurements of the streamwise and spanwise mean and fluctuating velocities for flows from a rectangular channel and over an NACA 0012 airfoil were made, and the data were compared against hot wire data. The closest to the airfoil surface that PDV measurements could be made was on the order of 0.005 m(0.2", z/c = 0.0169). When the PDV and hot wire data were compared, the time traces for each appeared similar. The mean velocities agreed to within plus or minus 2 m/sec, while the RMS velocities agreed to plus or minus 0.4 m/sec. While the PDV time autocorrelations agreed with those of the hot wire data, the PDV power spectral densities were noisier above 750 Hz. A major source of error in these experiments was determined to be the drifting of the iodine cell stem temperatures. While the stem temperatures were controlled to within plus or minus 0.1 C, this could lead to a frequency shift of as much as 6 MHz, which translates into an error of 1.6 m/sec for the back scatter channel, and up to 6.9 m/sec for the forward scatter channel. These error estimates are consistent with the observed error magnitudes.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The ground vortex flow field associated with a jet in a cross flow impinging on a ground plane for uniform and annular turbulent axisymmetric jets

An experimental study was conducted of the impingement of a single circular jet on a ground plane in a cross flow. This geometry is a simplified model of the interaction of propulsive jet exhaust from a V/STOL aircraft with the ground in forward flight. Jets were oriented normal to the cross flow and ground plane. Jet size, cross flow-to-jet velocity ratio, ground plane-to-jet board spacing, and jet exit turbulence level and mean velocity profile shape were all varied to determine their effects on the size of the ground vortex interaction region which forms on the ground plane, using smoke injection into the jet. Three component laser Doppler velocimeter measurements were made with a commercial three color system for the case of a uniform jet with exit spacing equal to 5.5 diameters and cross flow-to-jet velocity ratio equal to 0.11. The flow visualization data compared well for equivalent runs of the same nondimensional jet exit spacing and the same velocity ratio for different diameter nozzles, except at very low velocity ratios and for the larger nozzle, where tunnel blockage became significant. Variation of observed ground vortex size with cross flow-to-jet velocity ratio was consistent with previous studies. Observed effects of jet size and ground plane-to-jet board spacing were relatively small. Jet exit turbulence level effects were also small. However, an annular jet with a low velocity central core was found to have a significantly smaller ground vortex than an equivalent uniform jet at the same values of cross flow-to-jet velocity ratio and jet exit-to-ground plane spacing. This may suggest a means of altering ground vortex behavior somewhat, and points out the importance of proper simulation of jet exit velocity conditions. LV data indicated unsteady turbulence levels in the ground vortex in excess of 70 percent.

Cavage, William M.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Three-component velocity measurements in an axisymmetric jet using LDV

A three-component laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) has been used to acquire three-dimensional mean and fluctuating velocity measurements in a low-speed air jet entering a stagnant ambient, over the first 16 jet exit diameters along the jet centerline trajectory. These data are consistent with previous measurements in axisymmetric, turbulent jets. A comparison between radial traverses through the jet centerline in two orthogonal directions is also self-consistent. Mean velocity and Reynolds stress data approach a self-preserving behavior by x/D = 16. However, the RMS turbulence fluctuations were not yet self-preserving at this axial location, as expected based upon previous experimental studies. These data confirm the ability to obtain reliable three-dimensional velocity data using the present three-dimensional LDV system.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Ground vortex formation for uniform and nonuniform jets impinging on a ground plane

An experimental investigation of the impingement of a single circular jet on a ground plane in a cross flow is presented. This geometry is a simplified model of the interaction of propulsive jet exhaust from a V/STOL aircraft with the ground in forward flight. Variation of observed ground vortex size with cross flow-to-jet velocity ratio is consistent with previous observations.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The effects of winglets on low aspect ratio wings at supersonic Mach numbers

A computational study was conducted on two wings, of aspect ratios 1.244 and 1.865, each having 65 degree leading edge sweep angles, to determine the effects of nonplanar winglets at supersonic Mach numbers. A Mach number of 1.62 was selected as the design value. The winglets studied were parametrically varied in alignment, length, sweep, camber, thickness, and dihedral angle to determine which geometry had the best predicted performance. For the computational analysis, an available Euler marching technique was used. The results indicated that the possibility existed for wing-winglet geometries to equal the performance of wing-alone bodies in supersonic flows with both bodies having the same semispan. The first wing with winglet used NACA 1402 airfoils for the base wing and was shown to have lift-to-pressure drag ratios within 0.136 percent to 0.360 percent of the NACA 1402 wing-alone. The other base wing was a natural flow wing which was previously designed specifically for a Mach number of 1.62. The results obtained showed that the natural wing-alone had a slightly higher lift-to-pressure drag than the natural wing with winglets.

Keenan, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Three component velocity measurements in an axisymmetric jet using LDA

A commercial three-component laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) has been used to acquire a detailed set of three-dimensional mean and fluctuating velocity measurements in a low-speed air jet entering a stagnant ambient, over the first 15 jet exit diameters along the jet trajectory. These data are consistent with previous measurements in axisymmetric, turbulent jets. Mean velocity and Reynolds stress data approach a self-preserving behavior by x/D equal to about 15. However, the RMS turbulence fluctuations were not self-preserving at this axial location, as expected based upon previous experimental studies. These data confirm the ability to obtain reliable three-dimensional velocity data using the present three-dimensional LDA system.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Computational design of low aspect ratio wing-winglet configurations for transonic wind-tunnel tests

Computational designs were performed for three different low aspect ratio wing planforms fitted with nonplanar winglets; one of the three configurations was selected to be constructed as a wind tunnel model for testing in the NASA LaRC 8-foot transonic pressure tunnel. A design point of M = 0.8, C(sub L) is approximate or = to 0.3 was selected, for wings of aspect ratio equal to 2.2, and leading edge sweep angles of 45 deg and 50 deg. Winglet length is 15 percent of the wing semispan, with a cant angle of 15 deg, and a leading edge sweep of 50 deg. Winglet total area equals 2.25 percent of the wing reference area. The design process and the predicted transonic performance are summarized for each configuration. In addition, a companion low-speed design study was conducted, using one of the transonic design wing-winglet planforms but with different camber and thickness distributions. A low-speed wind tunnel model was constructed to match this low-speed design geometry, and force coefficient data were obtained for the model at speeds of 100 to 150 ft/sec. Measured drag coefficient reductions were of the same order of magnitude as those predicted by numerical subsonic performance predictions.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Computational design of low aspect ratio wing-winglets for transonic wind-tunnel testing

A computational design has been performed for three different low aspect ratio wing planforms fitted with nonplanar winglets; one of the three planforms has been selected to be constructed as a wind tunnel model for testing in the NASA LaRC 7 x 10 High Speed Wind Tunnel. A design point of M = 0.8, CL approx = 0.3 was selected, for wings of aspect ratio equal to 2.2, and leading edge sweep angles of 45 and 50 deg. Winglet length is 15 percent of the wing semispan, with a cant angle of 15 deg, and a leading edge sweep of 50 deg. Winglet total area equals 2.25 percent of the wing reference area. This report summarizes the design process and the predicted transonic performance for each configuration.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Theoretical-Numerical Study of Feasibility of Use of Winglets on Low Aspect Ration Wings at Subsonic and Transonic Mach Numbers to Reduce Drag

A numerical design study was conducted to assess the drag reduction potential of winglets installed on a series of low aspect ratio wings at a design point of M=0.8, C sub L=0.3. Wing-winglet and wing-alone design geometries were obtained for wings of aspect ratios between 1.75 and 2.67, having leading edge sweep angles between 45 and 60 deg. Winglet length was fixed at 15% of wing semispan. To assess the relative performance between wing-winglet and wing-alone configurations, the PPW nonlinear extended small disturbance potential flow code was utilized. This model has proven to yield plausible transonic flow field simulations for the series of low aspect ratio configurations selected. Predicted decreases in pressure drag coefficient for the wing-winglet configurations relative to the corresponding wing-alone planform are about 15% at the design point. Predicted decreases in wing-winglet total drag coefficient are about 12%, relative to the corresponding wing-alone design. Longer winglets (25% of the wing semispan) yielded decreases in the pressure drag of up to 22% and total drag of up to 16.4%. These predicted drag coefficient reductions are comparable to reductions already demonstrated by actual winglet designs installed on higher aspect ratio transport type aircraft.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Computational design of low aspect ratio wing-winglet configurations for transonic wind-tunnel tests

A computational design has been performed for three different low aspect ratio wing planforms fitted with nonplanar winglets; one of the three planforms has been selected to be constructed as a wind tunnel model for testing in the NASA LaRC 7 x 10 High Speed Wind Tunnel. A design point of M = 0.8, CL approx = 0.3 was selected, for wings of aspect ratio equal to 2.2, and leading edge sweep angles of 45 and 50 deg. Winglet length is 15 percent of the wing semispan, with a cant angle of 15 deg, and a leading edge sweep of 50 deg. Winglet total area equals 2.25 percent of the wing reference area. This report summarizes the design process and the predicted transonic performance for each configuration.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Transonic low aspect ratio wing-winglet designs

A numerical design study has been conducted to ascertain the potential of winglets as a drag-reducing measure at high subsonic Mach numbers for low aspect ratio wings. The four variants of the winglet concept studied are a 'detuned' winglet with decreased incidence at the wing-winglet juncture; a steerable winglet; more gradual pressure recovery at the wing and winglet trailing edges; and the application of supercritical airfoil technology. A further study is conducted to assess the accuracy of the numerical code's predicted pressure drag values.

Kuhlman, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Winglets on low aspect ratio wings

The drag reduction potentially available from the use of winglets at the tips of low aspect ratio (1.75-2.67) wings with pronounced (45-60 deg) leading edge sweep is assessed numerically for the case of a cruise design point at Mach of 0.8 and a lift coefficient of 0.3. Both wing-winglet and wing-alone design geometries are derived from a linear-theory, minimum induced drag design methodology. Relative performance is evaluated with a nonlinear extended small disturbance potential flow analysis code. Predicted lift coefficient/pressure drag coefficient increases at equal lift for the wing-winglet configurations over the wing-alone planform are of the order of 14.6-15.8, when boundary layer interaction is included.

Kuhlman, John M.↗